KwickClips Python · 44 sec · free
Why does a .dat file look like junk in Notepad?
Short answer. It stores raw bytes, not readable characters.
What can a binary file hold that a text file cannot?
Any Python object, such as a list.
Text vs binary
| Point | Text | Binary |
|---|---|---|
| Stores | characters | bytes |
| Readable? | yes | no |
| Holds | strings | any object |
Remember
| Binary modes: rb, wb, ab |
| Use pickle for objects |
You open a dat file in Notepad. Why is it junk? It is a binary file. Text stores characters, binary stores bytes. Only text is readable. Binary holds objects. Remember two things. Binary modes add the letter b. Use pickle for objects.
This clip is from the full lesson: Binary Files and the pickle Module — 7 minutes, with the tables, the quick answers and the whole lesson in text.
Useful for: CBSE Class 12 Computer Science (083), CBSE Class 12 Computer Science (083)
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